Nepal are set to begin a historic T20I series against West Indies with the opening game scheduled at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on September 27. This marks the first time the two sides will face each other in a bilateral T20I series making it a significant occasion for Nepalese cricket. The team led by Rohit Paudel will look to challenge an experienced West Indies unit and make an impact on the global stage. Players like Sandeep Lamichhane, Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Malla will be crucial in Nepal’s bid to compete strongly against a strong opponent.

West Indies will eye this series as an opportunity to test their bench strength and build momentum ahead of major T20 assignments. Under the leadership of Akeal Hosein the squad features experienced all-rounders like Jason Holder, Fabian Allen and Kyle Mayers who bring power-hitting and balance to the side. The presence of young talents such as Jewel Andrew and Ackeem Auguste also adds freshness to the lineup.

With both teams eager to make a mark the series opener is expected to be keenly contested. Nepal will aim to rise to the challenge against the two-time T20 World Cup champions while West Indies will look to assert their superiority and begin the campaign on a confident note.

NEP vs WI, 1^st T20I: Match Details

• Date and Time: September 27, 8:00 pm IST / 02:30 pm GMT / 06:30 pm local
• Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report:

The surface at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has traditionally favoured the batters in the shortest format. Short boundaries and a quick outfield make run scoring easier and teams often look to capitalize in the powerplay. Spinners however tend to come into play during the middle overs as the pitch can offer some grip and turn especially under lights. Fast bowlers usually rely on variations and yorkers at the death rather than sheer pace.

With the conditions favouring chasing sides captains winning the toss might prefer to bowl first and have clarity on the target under the lights. A high scoring contest can be expected if batters settle early but bowlers with spinners particularly could play a crucial role in controlling the flow of runs.

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Squads:

West Indies: Jewel Andrew (wk), Navin Bidaisee, Keacy Carty, Karima Gore, Amir Jangoo, Fabian Allen, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein (c), Obed McCoy, Jediah Blades, Shamar Springer, Ramon Simmonds, Ackeem Auguste, Zishan Motara

Nepal: Sundeep Jora, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel (c), Gulsan Jha, Dipendra Singh Airee, Karan KC, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nandan Yadav, Shahab Alam, Lokesh Bam, Kushal Malla, Mohammad Aadil Alam

NEP vs WI, Today’s match prediction

Case 1:

• Nepal wins the toss and bats first
• NEP powerplay score: 40-50
• NEP overall score: 145-155

Case 2:

• West Indies wins the toss and bats first
• WI powerplay score: 65-75
• WI overall score: 195-205

Match result: Team batting first will win the game

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